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The UK's top law officer, Richard Hermer, has called on Nigel Farage to apologise to former schoolmates who allege he racially abused them during their years in education.

Hermer remarked that Farage had "clearly deeply hurt" many people, based on their testimonies of his past behaviour. He commented that the leader's "shifting" denials had been difficult to believe.

“Throughout his defensive responses to legitimate questions, not once has Farage genuinely condemned antisemitism,” Hermer told a publication.

New Allegations Emerge

A published report last month documented the statements of several ex-pupils of Farage from a private college.

One, a former pupil, described that a 13-year-old Farage "would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘send them to the gas chambers’, occasionally including a long hiss to mimic the sound of the Nazi gas chambers”.

Another student of colour stated that when he was roughly nine years old, he was singled out by a older Farage.

“He walked up to a pupil with two similarly tall mates and addressed anyone looking ‘different’,” the former student said. “That happened to me on three separate times; inquiring where I was from, and pointing away, saying: ‘That's how you get back,’ to wherever you replied you were from.”

After the story broke, more people have emerged; approximately twenty people have now alleged they were either targets of or observed hurtful past behaviour by Farage.

The incidents they described span the period when Farage was aged a teenager.

Changing Stories

The political figure has disputed that anything he did was "directly" racist or antisemitic, and has asserted the individuals were being untruthful.

Critics have highlighted that Farage has neglected to condemn antisemitism and other forms of racism more broadly in his responses.

They also cite his reluctance to sanction a colleague in his party, Sarah Pochin, after she made remarks about the number of people of colour she saw in adverts. She later said sorry for the comments.

“His evolving narrative about his behaviour to his schoolmates [is] unconvincing, to say the least,” Hermer stated.

He went on to say: “Claiming that two dozen individuals have all forgotten the same things about his hurtful behaviour simply lacks credibility."

Call for Leadership

“If he wishes to be seen as a legitimate candidate for the top job, he must address the fears of the Jewish people, and say sorry to the many people he has clearly deeply hurt by his behaviour,” Hermer concluded.

“Prejudice in all its forms is anathema to the values of this country and we should not let it to ever become accepted in public life.”

In a different discussion, the Chancellor said Farage should “speak out” if he wanted to look like a true statesman.

“It says a lot how very little he has to say, and the guarded phrasing that both you and I would understand as being written in a specific manner to communicate, but also avoid saying certain things,” she remarked.

Formal Denials and Subsequent Comments

In legal letters prior to the release of the report, Farage’s representatives stated that “the implication that Mr Farage ever took part in, approved of, or led such conduct is completely refuted”.

Farage later appeared to change his explanation in an interview, saying: “Have I said things as a youth that you could view as being playground talk, you could interpret in a modern light today in some sort of way? Perhaps.”

He commented that he had “never directly sought to go and upset anybody”. Farage later put out a further comment: “I can tell you definitely that I did not say the things that have been published aged 13, so long ago.”